Resume Action Words

Resume action words can make your experience jump off the page if used correctly. As a recruiter, I
see hundreds of resumes each week. And while some of them are well done, more often than not I'm reading
about how a candidate "coordinated" a project, or served as a "liaison" with another department, or "was responsible
for" some task or function. These passive descriptions leave me flat...and a little bored.

If you've been following our advice, you have created a resume that is rich with accomplishments - things you
did in each position you've held that you are particularly proud of. Writing these accomplishments up can be a
daunting task. But keep in mind that this is the time to brag a bit. Resume action words can help you do that.

Consider the following accomplishments:

Act as a liaison between the product management staff and information technology on product changes. Work with IT
staff on testing programming changes and advise of any corrections needed.

Initiate product changes through the information technology group to ensure that all product requirements are met. Direct the testing of
programming changes to ensure that all variables are included in the plan. Identify discrepancies between actual and expected
outcomes and create an action plans to address issues.

Here's another example:

Responsible for customer sales in the Northeast, including states in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. Coordinate
custom requirements with our Operations staff as needed.

Drive sales in the Northeast region through new customer acquisition and active customer retention strategies. Identify any
custom requirements needed by customers in the region and facilitate production changes through Operations in order to satisfy customer demands.

Do you see a difference? The key to success is using active words to punch up your presentation. Keep in mind
that we don't want to misrepresent our functional responsibilities, but we do want to talk about them in a very action-oriented way.

Here's a comprehensive list of resume action words you can choose from. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should get you
thinking in the right direction!

Resume Action Words

Accelerated

Accomplished

Achieved

Acquired

Acted

Adapted

Addressed

Administered

Advised

Analyzed

Anticipated

Applied

Appointed

Arbitrated

Arranged

Assembled

Assigned

Attained

Began

Broadened

Budgeted

Built

Calculated

Captured

Certified

Clarified

Coached

Collected

Combined

Communicated

Compiled

Completed

Composed

Computed

Conceived

Conducted

Constructed

Consulted

Controlled

Convinced

Corrected

Counseled

Created

Decreased

Defined

Delegated

Demonstrated

Designed

Detailed

Detected

Developed

Devised

Diagnosed

Directed

Discovered

Doubled

Drafted

Earned

Edited

Effected

Elected

Eliminated

Engineered

Enhanced

Enlarged

Ensured

Established

Exceeded

Executed

Expanded

Expedited

Extended

Filed

Fixed

Forecast

Formed

Founded

Gathered

Generated

Guided

Headed

Hired

Identified

Illustrated

Improved

Increased

Informed

Initiated

Inspected

Inspired

Installed

Instructed

Integrated

Interpreted

Interviewed

Introduced

Invented

Investigated

Joined

Justified

Launched

Led

Located

Managed

Manufactured

Marketed

Maximized

Mediated

Minimized

Modernized

Monitored

Motivated

Negotiated

Obtained

Operated

Ordered

Organized

Originated

Overhauled

Packaged

Perfected

Performed

Persuaded

Piloted

Pioneered

Planned

Prepared

Preserved

Presided

Prevented

Procured

Projected

Provided

Published

Purchased

Received

Recognized

Recommended

Recovered

Recruited

Redesigned

Reduced

Remedied

Re-negotiated

Re-organized

Repaired

Researched

Reshaped

Resolved

Retrieved

Revamped

Reversed

Revised

Revitalized

Saved

Scheduled

Secured

Served

Shaped

Simplified

Solved

Standardized

Stimulated

Streamlined

Strengthened

Summarized

Supervised

Supported

Surveyed

Taught

Tightened

Trained

Translated

Uncovered

Upgraded

Validated

Verified

Wrote

These Resume Action Words are going to make a big differencein how your experience is perceived by a hiring manager.